JUPITER, Fla. - Fernando Vina hit .300 and won a Gold Glove last
season, and there's no debate for him which he considers more important.

The St. Louis Cardinals' second baseman will take the fielding honor any
day.

"I'll tell you what, winning a Gold Glove is the ultimate for myself," Vina
said. "I've hit .300 three or four times, and it's special because it's a
long grind. But to win a Gold Glove and to play at that level all year long
and for the managers to acknowledge that is something special. To be known
as the best, that's awesome."

Vina has sought the fielding award since coming to the Cardinals in 2000,
even to the point of campaigning in a low-key manner. He led the NL in
fielding percentage (.987), total chances (705) and double plays (100) last
year.

"I work hard at it, and I like to believe I'm one of the top guys," Vina
said. "I think maybe it takes a year for them to notice you, and then
another year to get it."

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa think Vina easily could have won the award
during both of his season in St. Louis.

"I think he's played at a very high level ever since he got here," La Russa
said.

But Vina knows he'll have to work hard to get another one. The NL already
had several accomplished second basemen before the Mets acquired Roberto
Alomar, who has won 12 straight AL Gold Gloves.

"You've still got to go out and work," Vina said. "They're not just going to
hand it to you, so I'll keep going about my business."

Vina's signature move is his rapid-fire double-play pivot. The ball is in
his glove for only an instant before he reaches and fires to first in a
single motion, often in the air.

Teammates at Sacramento City College and Arizona State nicknamed Vina
"Nintendo" because he got rid of the ball as fast as video game players. La
Russa calls Vina's relay "spectacular."

"I just kind of redirect the ball," Vina said. "That stands out because not
every second baseman can do it like that. That opens people's eyes."

Offensively, Vina is a grinder. La Russa said Vina and Placido Polanco are
the only players on the Cardinals who never give away an at-bat.

Vina hit .303 last year, his third .300-or-better season, reaching career
bests in home runs (nine) and RBIs (56).

"You've always got to be serious up there," Vina said. "Mentally, you've got
to be ready to grind it out. That's what got me to where I'm at today."

He didn't think he could give the Cardinals that level of intensity at the
start of camp, due to a family situation that distracted him. He arrived in
camp about a week late and played in his first game last Tuesday.

"It was a personal matter I needed to take care of, and I don't like to get
into it too much because I'm happy and ready to go," Vina said. "I felt
rusty the first game, but I played well. And when the season starts I won't
be behind at all."

Vina doesn't believe there's much he can improve on. He'd be happy to
duplicate last season.

"I always strive to do better," he said. "But if at the end of October you'd
tell me I had the same numbers, I'd take it."